Conventional digital video broadcast (DVB) systems transmit streams of content to digital video broadcast receivers via a transmission medium. The transmission medium typically includes a coaxial cable, satellite or wireless broadcast station. Each transmission medium has a limited bandwidth and typically divides the available bandwidth into a plurality of channels. FIG. 1 illustrates a typical transport stream 100 that is transmitted to a digital video broadcast receiver. As is shown in FIG. 1, the typical transport stream is continuous and occupies a bandwidth that is less than the maximum bandwidth of a channel.
Mobile terminals are increasingly being used to provide new services to users. Mobile terminals are popular because they are light weight and do not require a connection to a stationary power source, such as a standard electrical outlet. One of the limitations of mobile terminals is the battery life of the mobile terminal. Processing of low bit rate content, such as streaming content, can have a negative impact on the life of a mobile terminal battery. As a result, users can only receive and view streaming content for a limited time period. Prior art solutions to the limited battery life problem that results from receiving and processing streaming content include carrying extra batteries and utilizing more expensive or larger batteries. Obviously, the prior art solutions take away from the attractiveness of mobile terminals.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for systems and methods that allow mobile terminals to receive and process streaming content while efficiently utilizing the batteries of mobile terminals.